Mechanical Flowmeters

Read 5-20
 Rotameter

• A variation of the D/P flowmeter known as a variable area flowmeter.

• A float is inserted into a tapered metering tube. The higher the float is pushed up the tube the
larger the area for liquid to flow around the float.
• The float will be pushed up the tube by the liquid until the opening is large enough for the fluid
to flow around the float. The level of the float is proportional to the flow of the liquid.
• Magnets may be inserted into the float to move a pointer outside the tube. By connecting the
pointer to an electromagnetic device a 4-20mA or voltage signal can be produces.
Rotameter-Advantages/Disadvantages
• Advantages
• Simple no moving parts that wear out
• inexpensive
• Disadvantages
• Flow nonlinear across entire scale
• Added flow restriction
 Positive displacement methods

• Rotary devices that make direct measurements of fluid flow

• Operate by dividing the fluid into segments of know value and counting the number of
segments that pass the fluid downstream in the pipe.
• Types
• Rotary-Vane flowmeter
• Lobed Impeller Flowmeter
 Rotary Vane Flowmeter

• Fluid enters flowmeter and strikes a spring loaded vane when the chamber formed by the vane
is full the fluid forces the vane to rotate clockwise
• Since the volume of each chamber is the same and known it is easy to calculate the flow rate
buy multiplying the RPM of the meter times the volume of the chamber.
 Lobed Impeller Flowmeter

• Two carefully machined lobes are in contact with each other and with the housing of the
meter.
• Movement of fluid through the meter causes the lobes to turn. Since the amount of fluid it
takes to turn the lobes is known flow is proportional to RPM times the volume it takes for 1
revolution.
Limitations of Positive displacement flow
meters
• Provide very accurate measurements
• Cause energy loss from the system
• Moving parts are prone to wear
 Velocity flowmeters

• Measure the velocity of the fluid directly

• Q = V * A where Q = flow V = velocity and A = Area
• Turbine flowmeter
• Fluid flow causes a turbine to turn at a speed proportional to flow rate
• The turbine blades are counted by a magnetic induction pickup coil which generates an
inductive spike (pulse) every time a turbine blade goes by. The frequency of the pulses is
proportional to the speed of the turbine.
• Provide high accuracy and a linear output but only work on low viscosity fluids